Follower for card files



'June 20, w, M GERKEY 2,163,319v

FOLLOWER FOR CARD FILES Filed Sept. 27. 1937 Milian/K691i@ y Patented June 20, 1939 'j UNITED STATES EATENT -QFFEE 2,163,319 FoLLoWER FoRcAnn FILES WilliainM. Gerkey, Joplin, Mo. Apsucmmseptember 2i, 1937, serial No. 155,957

2 Claims.

My invention relatesfto followers which are used in connection'withf'iileboxes intended to receive and hold record cards.l kIt has' for its object to provide an improvedfollower constructed entirely of metal'ipartsi that may be easily 'fabricated and which are fof simple construction, and* therefore may be made and2 supplied to the tradev at small' cost. The followeris vconstructed to be set `Vwithin the vbox or container for the cards and. to have frictional engagement directly with the-walls thereof, being held in place by such engagement `and'withoui;='r,esort to any supplemental attachments secured 'to the container itself.

The invention is illustrated ini: the accompanying drawing, wherein-L Figure 1 is atransverse sectional viewy taken just to the rear of afollowerrmade according to my invention and represented yfas'. in=position holding cards which have beenfplaced within the box or container;

Fig. 2 is acentralf longitudinalsectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.;

Fig.' 3 is aY detail face View of the follower illustrating the -reversibility in= use :of one of its parts;

Fig. 4 is a perspective `view-oi the retaining slide portion of the follower; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the movable clamping members thereof.

Referring to the drawing, A represents a container adapted to receive record cards B. It is illustrated as being of open-top box construction commonly employed as file boxes.

The follower, constituting the subject of my invention, consists of a slide piece C adapted to be set into the box A behind the cards which are to be held in place thereby; a pair of laterally movable friction members G supported by the slide member C and adapted to have frictional engagement directly with the inner surfaces of the side walls of the box; and a spring F located between ythe two friction members for forcing them into engagement with the wall of the box.

The slide C and the friction members G are formed of sheet metal. Along the upper and lower edges,vrespectively, of the retaining slide C are formed guides or slideways c, c, by turning over such edges, as clearly represented in Fig. 4. Each slideway is divided, the upper one by a cutout portionrof the slide, as represented at c', forming a finger space giving access to the cards; and the lower one by a footing piece D, integral with the slide piece and serving to support the slide in proper position to engage with the cards, when the slide is in use. The two sets of slide- (cl. 12a-3o) ways thus formed, one at either end of the follower; serve to support the two friction members G, the 'top andibottomvedges of which latter are adapted to move in the runways formed by the overturned edges c of the follower. The length of eachfriction piece is less than half the length of the-main slide C of the follower so that there may be located between them the spring F that operates to force them apart and into lateral engagement directly with the inner walls of the sides of the box. While the spring F may be of any suitable construction; I prefer that it should be formed of spring metal and that it should be held atV its center by an integral part of the metalconstituting the slide piece C. AThis may well be provided by stamping out a portion of the metal and folding-it over, as represented at E in Figures 2 and 4.

In order.v that the spring F may have engagement with the friction pieces G, and Ythat the 20 latter may be engaged by the user of the device to release the follower from frictional engagement with the walls of the box, the inner edges of the parts Gare bent or turned at right angles to the main body portion thereof forming flanges Y H. These iianges are of a length less than the height ofthe clamping pieces G so as not to interfere with the clamp parts freely running in the slideways c.

At their outer edges the clamping pieces are preferably formed with flanges located at right angles to the main body portions of the pieces G, so as to lie substantially parallel to the inner walls of the box when the follower is applied for use to retain the cards7 as clearly indicated in 35 Figures 1 and 3.

I prefer that the end flanges I of the movable clamping parts, which have direct engagement with the inner walls of the box sides, should be, in part at least, resilient. To that end each flange IV is cut away along the line of its connection with the end body portion of the clamp piece, as represented at z', Figure 5,` and the free end J thus formed is shaped to have good frictional engagement with the wall of the box, the engaging surface being rounded and smooth.

If it be found that the friction of the elastic end portion of the metallic flange with the wall of the box is not sufiicient for desired holding eifects, a rubber friction pad in the form of a band K may be used, as indicated in Figure 5.

The transversely movable friction members G of the follower are reversible, as will be apparent by a comparison of Figures 1 and 3. I prefer that the elastic ends of the end flanges of the clamping pieces should extend upwardly, thus engaging with the side walls of the box near its upper open end, as represented in Fig. 1. However, where the box such as A is formed of thin and comparatively weak material, perhaps paper board, it is found that the pressure of the clamping pieces, engaging with the walls of the box near its upper open end, tends to cause a bulging of the sides, thus weakening the grip of the follower upon the box and lessening its efficiency. In such a case the friction slide pieces G are reversed, as indicated in Fig. 3, so that the elastic ends J of the clamping flanges engage with the sides of the box near their lower edges, where they l join the bottom of the box, the box being therefore of sufficient rigidity to stand the pressure of the clamping parts of the follower without materially yielding. Y

It will be understood that when the clamp is to be applied or is to be moved after application, the user will move the two clamping members G toward each other, compressing the spring F, by engaging with the fingers the inner iianges H. Upon releasing the clamping members the spring immediately forces them apart and into a holding engagement with the side walls of the box.

While the form of invention which I have described and illustrated, comprising a pair of frictional transversely movable clamping plates, is that which I prefer and which I deem to be of the greatest advantage, it is evident that the invention is not limited to the specific disclosure herein made. For instance, many of the advantages of my invention could be attained in a construction wherein but a single transversely movable slide plate for frictional engagement directly with the wall of the box was employed. The main supporting transverse plate would in that case be constructed to bear against the opposite wall of the box to that engaged-by the sliding friction plate.

What I claim is: g

1. A follower for a card file box comprising a rectangular sheet metal plate, the upper and lower edges of which are reversely bent to provide parallel guideways, said lower edge being also provided with an integral angularly extendirg supporting foot, and a portion of said plate above said foot being struck out and rolled to constitute a spring supporting member; a pair of reversible friction members slidably mounted in said guideways, one to either side of said spring supporting member, said friction members comprising sheet metal plates each having its lateral edges bent rearwardly to provide respectively a finger piece and a iiange adapted to frictionally engage with a wall of the card le box; and a spring embraced-and seeurelywheld by said spring supporting' member withitsifopposite end' portions engaging said finger pieces, said spring normally `urging said slidable friction members in opposite outward directions to maintain their wall engaging'flanges in engagement with the le box walls.

2. A follower for a card file box comprising a rectangulan'sheet ymetal plate, the upper and lower edges of which are reversely bent to provide parallel guideways, said lower edge being also provided witlizan' integral angularly'extending'supporting foot; andaportion of said plate above saidv foot `being struck out 4and rolled to constitute `a spring; supporting member;` a pair of sheet metal plate. members slidablyA mounted in saidfguideways; on'e to either side of said spring supporting member, isaid sliding plate members each having its' lateral edges bent rearwardly to provide respectively a dinger piece and ange adapted to. engage with' 'a' wa-ll vof the card le box, ran end portion of each of said flanges being severed from-itsplate'to-impart resilience thereto, said end'portions of :the flanges being also bulged outwardly for frictional engagementY with the box1wa'l1s,isaid 'slidable i plate Y members being readily removable and transversely interchange'- able and -reversible in- -said rguideways whereby `the bulgedportionsof saidfiianges may-belcaused to engage said box walls adjacent either its top or its bottom; and a spring embraced and securely held by said spring supporting member with its opposite-.endgportions engaging said finger pieces, said springfnormally urging said slidable plate members in oppositeoutward directions to maintain 'said bulged ends of the gagement With'wthe bex-,wallsr flanges in yen- 

